The first Argentinian built Caiman self propelled sprayer fitted with a carbon fibre boom has been sold in Australia.
Specially designed for local conditions, the Caiman’s signature feature is the 36 metre King Agro carbon fibre boom which weighs just 440 kilograms and contributes to the extremely low tare weight of 9300 kilograms for the 3750 litre capacity machine.
Sold by Queensland company, Western Mechanical Services, the Caiman has been factory engineered for Australian conditions according to the company’s Marty Kemmis.
Specifications include the fitting of a non-electronic Cummins 128 kilowatt engine and Allison automatic.
The drivetrain powers a high low ratio differential and rear wheel, oil bath chain drive drop legs.
“Everything used on the machine can be sourced at your local bearing shop,” Mr Kemmis said.
The 36m carbon boom is from King Agro which has two decades experience in carbon fibre boom technology and partnered with John Deere in 2015 to develop booms.
“We have a lot of customers realising the damage they are doing with big sprayers weighing 20 tonne.
“This weighs 9.3 tonne empty - it’s two tonne lighter than a Goldacres and six or seven tonne lighter than a Deere,” Mr Kemmis said.
“Use a nurse tanker so you have the capacity without the weight on the paddock.”
Claimed fuel consumption is just 300 millilitres per hectare.
“You’ll make repayments on this machine solely on what you will save in fuel,” Mr Kemmis said.
The retailed machine is heading to a cropping operation at Gilgandra, NSW and was fitted with Trimble Field-IQ rate control with 12 sections to reduce overlap or underspray.
Raven auto-height control and other spray, boom or control options can be fitted while a Hypro induction hopper and 50 millimetre centrifugal spray pump are standard.
He said discussions to widen the distribution network were underway and carbon booms to 48m were available for retrofit.
